UEFA announce big changes for Champions League and Europa League

UEFA have announced that from next season onwards, clubs participating in the Champions League final, Europa League final and the Super Cup will be allowed to name 23 players in their match-day squads.

The change – which will allow 12 substitutes instead of seven substitutes to sit on the bench during these finals – is one of a number of adjustments to be made by European football’s governing body which will come into effect in the 2018/19 season.

Additionally, in the knockout stages of the Champions League and Europa League, clubs will henceforth be able to use a fourth substitute during extra time, it has now become common in competitions such as the English FA Cup and League Cup.

Clubs will also soon be allowed to register three new players after the group stages of both the Champions League and the Europa League without any restrictions.

Europa League player can move up to the Champions League, and vice versa.

Means we will no longer see a situation like that involving Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is unable to play for Arsenal in the Europa League due to the fact his old club – Borussia Dortmund – also entered the competition at the knockout stage.